Red Sox acquire Sandy Leon from Nationals
With the health of Christian Vazquez's right elbow very much uncertain, the Boston Red Sox made a move to bolster their depth behind the plate.
On Monday, the Red Sox acquired catcher Sandy Leon from the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations and shortly thereafter placed Vazquez on the 60-day disabled list.
Leon appeared in just 20 games for the Nationals last season, hitting .156/.229/.219 with one home run in 70 plate appearances, though he provided two defensive runs saved behind the plate and threw out 5-of-8 (63 percent) potential base-stealers. The 26-year-old spent the majority of the campaign with Triple-A Syracuse, though, where he managed a .692 OPS with five homers in 51 games and impressed with his defense.
Vazquez, meanwhile, is scheduled to meet with noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday to determine if he requires surgery. A recent MRI revealed a possible injury in his elbow and ligament damage would likely precipitate Tommy John surgery for the 24-year-old.
In his absence, the Red Sox are expected to give the bulk of their catching duties to Ryan Hanigan, though top prospect Blake Swihart could soon contend for a spot on the major-league roster.